Fiberglass cantilever stand for diving boards

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a cantilever stand for diving boards that is constructed entirely of fiberglass materials and in a rigid, one-piece configuration in which all mounting hardware is not only hidden from view to make for a more pleasant appearance but also is protected from the corrosive aspects of the elements. The instant stand also is provided with means for anchoring a diving board at the butt end with an integrally constructed fulcrum at the other end for providing the necessary and proper support at the correct fulcrum point to assure the best results in both performance, i.e. safe performance, and long life. Means are also provided for mounting safety handrails if desired.

United States Patent 1191 Meyer [451 Sept. 23, 1975 FIBERGLASS CANTILEVER STAND FOR DIVING BOARDS [76] Inventor: Carl R. Meyer, 205 Palo Verde Dr.,

Brownsville, Tex. 78520 [22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 428,369

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No, 221,621. Jan. 28

1972, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl 248/346; 272/66 [51] Int. Cl. A63B 5/10 [58] Field of Search 272/66; 108/150; 248/346, 248/356 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,342,483 9/1967 Erickson 272/66 3.523.688 8/l970 Kinsman 272/66 Primary Examiner-Edward C. Allen [57] ABSTRACT This invention provides a cantilever stand for diving boards that is constructed entirely of fiberglass materials and in a rigid, one-piece configuration in which all mounting hardware is not only hidden from view to make for a more pleasant appearance but also is protected from the corrosive aspects of the elements. The instant stand also is provided with means for anchoring a diving board at the butt end with an integrally constructed fulcrum at the other end for providing the necessary and proper support at the correct fulcrum point to assure the best results in both performance, i.e. safe performance, and long life. Means are also provided for mounting safety handrails if desired.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures FIBERGLASS CANTILEVER STAND FOR DIVING BOARDS This patent application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application for U.S. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 221,621, filed Jan. 28, 1972, entitled CANTILE- VER STAND FOR DIVING BOARDS, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to cantilever stands for diving boards and more particularly to a rigid cantilever stand for such boards and the like that is constructed of resin and impregnated materials including one or more clothlike layers made from glass fibers.

Heretofore, cantilever stands have been constructed out of wood and/or steel. In my patent entitled CANTI- LEVER STAND, US. Pat. No. 3,697,067 granted Oct. 10, 1972, a steel cantilever stand having the necessary features to assure both maximum in safety as well as enjoyment is disclosed and claimed. In such prior art cantilever stands, maintenance was required annually to minimize the corrosive and costly effects of the elements; moreover, the weight factor, always associated with steel products, obviously relates unfavorably in the production and distribution of cantilever stands made from steel in the for'm'of excessive shipping costs. In contradistinction, the cantilever stand of the present invention alleviates these disadvantages by providing a strong, rigid, light weight, and corrosive resistant stand for diving boards.

According to the invention, there is p rovided a rigid cantilever stand for a diving board comprising in combination a base portion adapted to be installed in fixed relationship near a swimming pool and a platform portion disposed on the base portion and adapted to receive the board in operational disposition, the base and platform portions being formed in one-piece structure from resin impregnated materials including one or more cloth-like layers made from glass fibers.

In addition, for safety and appearance reasons, provisions are built into the cantilever stand for mounting handrails, which may be formed of tubular stock made, for example, from aluminum or stainless steel tubing of appropriate size. Likewise, if desired, steps integrally moulded into either the base or platform portions of the cantilever stand may be provided.

It is therefore the primary objectiveand purpose of the invention to provide an improved stand for diving boards.

It is another object of the invention to provide a stand for diving boards of the type described that can be used for mounting diving boards of various lengths at different heights above a swimming pool and the like.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a one-piece cantilever stand of the type described that is formed from resin impregnated materials including cloth-like layer made from glass fibers.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a cantilever stand of the type described that has all of the mounting hardware hidden from sight and protected from the elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cantilever stand of the type described that is rigid, light in weight, strong in structure and inexpensive to manufacture.

These features, objects and other advantages of the invention are more fully brought out in the following description with reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cantilever stand constructed in accordance with the invention and showing in dot-dashed delineation a diving board and handrails mountedthereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cantilever stand shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cantilever stand according to the invention taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the anchoring and fulcrum supporting means of the cantilever stand according to the invention and serves to facilitate an explanation thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, shown there is a cantilever stand 10 formed from resin impregnated materials into a rigid, one-piece configuration in accordance with the invention. A diving board 12 and a pair of handrails 14 reference are shown mounted on the stand 10 in dot-dashed delineation.

The cantilever stand 10 is rigid and formed in one piece comprising a platform portion 16 and a base portion 18. The base portion 18 includes a curvilinear base 20 having upwardly extending side surface areas 24 and 26 whichjoin each other in continuous surface configuration at predetermined inclined angles at the butt and front end of the stand 10 as depicted by the reference numerals 22 and 28 respectively.

It should be pointd out that the inclined angles 22 and 28 may be the same or different as desired. Morever, the height of the base portion 18 may be greater at the front end 28 relative to the butt end 22 in order to support the diving board 12 at a desired inclination.

The platform portion 16 further comprises spaced apart side walls 32 and 34 interconnected by a front wall 36 and a rear wall 38. Extending inwardly from the walls 32, 34, 36 and 38 is a planar surface 30 which terminates at the upper edge of the continuous side surfaces 24 and 26. The surface 30 may extend completely around the base portion 18 at the uppermost part thereof to form an outwardly and then upwardly directed offset as depicted by the reference numerals 42, 44, 46 and 48. If desired, the planar surface 30 may be described as a floor extending between the walls 42, 44, 46 and 48, the central portion of which is removed or pressed downwardly into the base portion 18 leaving exposed the enclosed area surrounded by the uppermost edge of the side surfaces 24 and 26. The resultant onepiece structure is a rigid, strong, light weight stand for diving boards.

In FIG. 1, a reference numeral 40 refers to the stand 10 as it is initially constructed and before any trimming takes place. To provide the necessary clearance for the diving board 12 when mounted on the stand 10, portions of the side walls 32 and 34 and the rear wall 38 are trimmed, reference FIG. 2. Stated differently, the walls 32, 34 and 38 may be required to nest in a troughlike recess usually provided along the periphery of the conventional diving board at the bottom thereof, especially in the case of diving boards made from resin impregnated materials.

As for the front wall 36, the amount of trim necessarily depends upon the clearance required for the diving board in the fulcrum region, reference FIG. 2 at the left. A reference numeral 56 represents the extreme ends of the trimmed front wall 36 and the points where extensions of the trimmed side walls'32 .and 34 wrap around the front end of the platform portion lfiand hence down tomeet the trimmed frontwall 36. With such an arrangement, the,inheren-t strength of the stand 10 is maintained at each corner of the front wall 36.

At the front end 28; there is provided a fulcrum supporting means including a tubular member 50 adapted to carry a resilient fulcrum pad 58, see FIG. 2. A similar tubular member 52 is also provided at'the butt end 44 and serves as a butt anchoring structure to which the diving board 12 is mounted, i

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the fulcrum supporting member 50 may be integrally bonded to the stand 10, near the junction, depicted by a reference numeral 48, of the base portion 18 and the platform portion 16. A layer 54 of resin impregnated material, which may be the top layer of a multi'layer built-up or an additional layer in patch-pocket style, is provided and bonded to the stand 10 in the conventional manner with polyester resins of the type commercially available. A suitable resin is available from Reichhold Chemical Inc. and known to the trade as Type No. 8048.

It should be pointed out thatthe fulcrum supporting and the butt anchoring members 50 and 52 respectively may extend through theiside walls 32 and 34 to provide openings 60 for the handrails 14. Conventional fasteners may be used to fasten the handrails 14 to the stand 10. Conventional bolts, not shown, may be used to mount the stand l;n ear the pooljH oles are firstdrilled through the base 20 and the stand is then positioned over the bolts Conventional washersand nuts are then applied to hold thestand'lO in placeQ The diving board 12 is then installed with preferably twobutt anchoring bolts, not shown, extending through the diving board 12 at the butt endthereof and then through appropriately spaced apart holes, alsonot shown, which are first drilled throughv the butt anchoring member'52', reference FIGS. 1 and 2. In the event handrails 14 are to be used, it would be necessary to mount them firstand to then mount the diving board as pointed out. When in stalled as described, it will beseen that all'mounting hardware is concealed from view and protected from the weather.

It should be pointed out that the wall; 32 34 and 38, may be disposed at any desired angle. In addition, the fulcrum supporting and the butt anchoring members 50 and 52 respectively may bepositioned other than as shown in the drawing. In addition, the resilient fulcrum pad 58, reference FIG. 2, serves to reduce the noise level created when the diving board is used and eliminate any damage such use could cause to the diving board 12 and the stand 10.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and methods.

I claim:

1. A rigid one-piece molded cantilever stand formed from resin impregnated materials including cloth-like layers made from glass fibers for operatively mounting a diving board to a deck surrounding a swimming pool, comprising, in combination,

a base portion adapted to be installed in a fixed relationship near said pool, said base portion further including a planar base having a plurality of openings for receiving means for fastening said stand to said deck, and a rigid upwardly directed continuous surface co-extending from said planar base and outwardly therefrom at preselected angles relative thereto,said planar base further having a curvilinear configuration with successive cross-sectional elements of said continuous surface above said planar base and parallel thereto forming successively larger curvilinear configurations;

a platform portion disposed on said base portion and adapted to receive said board in operative disposition, said platform portion comprising a horizontal planar surface co-extending from the upper I edge of said continuous surface of said base portion, said platform portion having a rectilinear configuration with a vertically disposed rear wall, two vertically disposed side walls interconnected with said rear wall, and a front wall inclined upwardly and outwardly with respect to said base portion disposed between said side walls, the lowest region of 4 said walls being integrally connected to the outer most edge of said horizontal planar surface; and

v a tubular butt anchoring member and a tubular fulcrum supporting member extending transversely completely across said platform portion and through said side walls and disposed on and bonded to the upper side of said horizontal planar surface near said rear and front walls respectively for operatively mounting a diving board to said stand. l 

1. A rigid one-piece molded cantilever stand formed from resin impregnated materials including cloth-like layers made from glass fibers for operatively mounting a diving board to a deck surrounding a swimming pool, comprising, in combination, a base portion adapted to be installed in a fixed relationship near said pool, said base portion further including a planar base having a plurality of openings for receiving means for fastening said stand to said deck, and a rigid upwardly directed continuous surface co-extending from said planar base and outwardly therefrom at preselected angles relative thereto, said planar base further having a curvilinear configuration with successive cross-sectional elements of said continuous surface above said planar base and parallel thereto forming successively larger curvilinear configurations; a platform portion disposed on said base portion and adapted to receive said board in operative disposition, said platform portion comprising a horizontal planar surface co-extending from the upper edge of said continuous surface of said base portion, said platform portion having a rectIlinear configuration with a vertically disposed rear wall, two vertically disposed side walls interconnected with said rear wall, and a front wall inclined upwardly and outwardly with respect to said base portion disposed between said side walls, the lowest region of said walls being integrally connected to the outer most edge of said horizontal planar surface; and a tubular butt anchoring member and a tubular fulcrum supporting member extending transversely completely across said platform portion and through said side walls and disposed on and bonded to the upper side of said horizontal planar surface near said rear and front walls respectively for operatively mounting a diving board to said stand. 